6 # 5.7 Desktop Environments
8 ***Contributed by Valentino Vaschetto. ***
12 This section describes the different desktop environments available for X on FreeBSD. A ***desktop environment*** can mean anything ranging from a simple window manager to a complete suite of desktop applications, such as **KDE** or **GNOME** .
20 ### 5.7.1.1 About GNOME
24 **GNOME** is a user-friendly desktop environment that enables users to easily use and configure their computers. **GNOME** includes a panel (for starting applications and displaying status), a desktop (where data and applications can be placed), a set of standard desktop tools and applications, and a set of conventions that make it easy for applications to cooperate and be consistent with each other. Users of other operating systems or environments should feel right at home using the powerful graphics-driven environment that **GNOME** provides.
28 ### 5.7.1.2 Installing GNOME
32 **GNOME** can be easily installed from a package or from the pkgsrc framework:
36 To install the **GNOME** package from the network, simply type:
48 To build **GNOME** from source, use the ports tree:
54 # cd /usr/pkgsrc/meta-pkgs/gnome
62 Once **GNOME** is installed, the X server must be told to start **GNOME** instead of a default window manager.
66 The easiest way to start **GNOME** is with **GDM** , the GNOME Display Manager. **GDM** , which is installed as a part of the **GNOME** desktop (but is disabled by default), can be enabled by adding `gdm_enable="YES"` to `/etc/rc.conf`. Once you have rebooted, **GNOME** will start automatically once you log in -- no further configuration is necessary.
70 **GNOME** may also be started from the command-line by properly configuring a file named `.xinitrc`. If a custom `.xinitrc` is already in place, simply replace the line that starts the current window manager with one that starts **/usr/pkg/bin/gnome-session** instead. If nothing special has been done to the configuration file, then it is enough simply to type:
76 % echo "/usr/pkg/bin/gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc
82 Next, type `startx`, and the **GNOME** desktop environment will be started.
88 **Note:** If an older display manager, like **XDM** , is being used, this will not work. Instead, create an executable `.xsession` file with the same command in it. To do this, edit the file and replace the existing window manager command with **/usr/pkg/bin/gnome-session** :
94 % echo "#!/bin/sh" > ~/.xsession
96 % echo "/usr/pkg/bin/gnome-session" >> ~/.xsession
98 % chmod +x ~/.xsession
104 Yet another option is to configure the display manager to allow choosing the window manager at login time; the section on [ KDE details](x11-wm.html#X11-WM-KDE-DETAILS) explains how to do this for **kdm** , the display manager of **KDE** .
108 ### 5.7.1.3 Anti-aliased Fonts with GNOME
112 X11 supports anti-aliasing via its ***RENDER*** extension. GTK+ 2.0 and greater (the toolkit used by **GNOME** ) can make use of this functionality. Configuring anti-aliasing is described in [ Section 5.5.3](x-fonts.html#ANTIALIAS). So, with up-to-date software, anti-aliasing is possible within the **GNOME** desktop. Just go to **Applications->Desktop Preferences->Font** , and select either Best shapes, Best contrast, or Subpixel smoothing (LCDs). For a GTK+ application that is not part of the **GNOME** desktop, set the environment variable `GDK_USE_XFT` to `1` before launching the program.
120 ### 5.7.2.1 About KDE
124 **KDE** is an easy to use contemporary desktop environment. Some of the things that **KDE** brings to the user are:
131 * A beautiful contemporary desktop
138 * A desktop exhibiting complete network transparency
145 * An integrated help system allowing for convenient, consistent access to help on the use of the **KDE** desktop and its applications
152 * Consistent look and feel of all **KDE** applications
159 * Standardized menu and toolbars, keybindings, color-schemes, etc.
166 * Internationalization: **KDE** is available in more than 40 languages
173 * Centralized consisted dialog driven desktop configuration
180 * A great number of useful **KDE** applications
186 **KDE** comes with a web browser called **Konqueror** , which represents a solid competitor to other existing web browsers on UNIX® systems. More information on **KDE** can be found on the [KDE website](http://www.kde.org/).
190 ### 5.7.2.2 Installing KDE
194 Just as with **GNOME** or any other desktop environment, the easiest way to install **KDE** is through the pkgsrc framework or from a package:
198 To install the **KDE** package from the network, simply type:
210 [pkg_radd(1)](http://leaf.dragonflybsd.org/cgi/web-man?command#pkg_radd§ion1) will automatically fetch the latest version of the application.
216 To build **KDE** from source, use the pkgsrc framework:
222 # cd /usr/pkgsrc/meta-pkgs/kde3
224 # bmake install clean
230 After **KDE** has been installed, the X server must be told to launch this application instead of the default window manager. This is accomplished by editing the `.xinitrc` file:
236 % echo "exec startkde" > ~/.xinitrc
242 Now, whenever the X Window System is invoked with `startx`, **KDE** will be the desktop.
246 If a display manager such as **XDM** is being used, the configuration is slightly different. Edit the `.xsession` file instead. Instructions for **kdm** are described later in this chapter.
250 ## 5.7.3 More Details on KDE
254 Now that **KDE** is installed on the system, most things can be discovered through the help pages, or just by pointing and clicking at various menus. Windows® or Mac® users will feel quite at home.
258 The best reference for **KDE** is the on-line documentation. **KDE** comes with its own web browser, **Konqueror** , dozens of useful applications, and extensive documentation. The remainder of this section discusses the technical items that are difficult to learn by random exploration.
262 ### 5.7.3.1 The KDE Display Manager
266 An administrator of a multi-user system may wish to have a graphical login screen to welcome users. [ XDM](x-xdm.html) can be used, as described earlier. However, **KDE** includes an alternative, **kdm** , which is designed to look more attractive and include more login-time options. In particular, users can easily choose (via a menu) which desktop environment ( **KDE** , **GNOME** , or something else) to run after logging on.
270 To enable **kdm** , the `ttyv8` entry in `/etc/ttys` has to be adapted. The line should look as follows:
276 ttyv8 "/usr/pkg/bin/kdm -nodaemon" xterm on secure
286 ### 5.7.4.1 About XFce
290 **XFce** is a desktop environment based on the GTK+ toolkit used by **GNOME** , but is much more lightweight and meant for those who want a simple, efficient desktop which is nevertheless easy to use and configure. Visually, it looks very much like **CDE** , found on commercial UNIX systems. Some of **XFce** 's features are:
297 * A simple, easy-to-handle desktop
304 * Fully configurable via mouse, with drag and drop, etc
311 * Main panel similar to **CDE** , with menus, applets and applications launchers
318 * Integrated window manager, file manager, sound manager, **GNOME** compliance module, and other things
325 * Themeable (since it uses GTK+)
332 * Fast, light and efficient: ideal for older/slower machines or machines with memory limitations
338 More information on **XFce** can be found on the [XFce website](http://www.xfce.org/).
342 ### 5.7.4.2 Installing XFce
346 A binary package for **XFce** exists (at the time of writing). To install, simply type:
358 Alternatively, to build from source, use the pkgsrc framework:
364 # cd /usr/pkgsrc/meta-pkgs/xfce4
366 # bmake install clean
372 Now, tell the X server to launch **XFce** the next time X is started. Simply type this:
378 % echo "/usr/pkg/bin/startxfce4" > ~/.xinitrc
384 The next time X is started, **XFce** will be the desktop. As before, if a display manager like **XDM** is being used, create an `.xsession`, as described in the section on [ GNOME](x11-wm.html#X11-WM-GNOME), but with the `/usr/pkg/bin/startxfce4` command; or, configure the display manager to allow choosing a desktop at login time, as explained in the section on [ kdm](x11-wm.html#X11-WM-KDE-KDM).
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